Page 131 of Where Sinners Repent

I shake my head. I’m never this sappy.

“Get a grip, girl,” I chide myself.

The sound of a car door slamming outside makes me jump. Sticking my head out of the office, Kai is still there, glaring at the studio and most likely counting every damn second.

I lift my hand in a wave. He doesn’t, obviously.

I hold up a finger, signalling give me a minute.

His dark eyes narrow. Bossy fucker.

Smiling to myself, I collect my things, looking around the office one last time.

“Soon,” I murmur. Soon everything will be back to normal.

A soft click makes my body go taut. I freeze, my ears listening for what just made the sound, but nothing else comes. I turn and glance around my studio, but see nothing.

I’m being paranoid.

I shake my head and return to my things. Another click sounds, and every hair on my arm rises.

I know that sound. The rear fucking door, right behind me.

“Don’t make a sound,” a voice from my nightmares drawls softly.

I spin, turning just in time for Ethan to pounce. My scream is muffled by a hand clamping over my mouth, and he traps me against his chest.

His palm pushes hard against my mouth, enough to draw blood.

I forget how to breathe. Raging fear knocks the air from my lungs. Every horrible memory sings through my mind like a sick fucking movie.

My body reacts while my brain lags, and I reach for the knife in my pocket. I’m too slow. Behind me, Ethan grabs both of my wrists, twisting my shoulders until they are locked behind my back.

The frame crashes to the floor, as Isaac saunters through the door, looking around the office with a smug smile.

His icy eyes land on mine. “Fancy,” he murmurs.

I glare at him with tear-filled eyes.

“It’s been hard to get a moment with you, little sis,” he croons, falling onto the new couch and crossing his legs.

As if this is just a normal catch-up between long-lost family. My stomach drops and regret burns in my throat. I should have just let Kai come with me. Obviously, there was a reason that he was so dead set on following me around.

“You’ve got yourself a little guard dog, I see.” His eyes look me up and down with disgust. “Traitorous fucking whore.”

I jerk against Ethan’s grip, but he doesn’t budge.

Isaac looks different. Harder and meaner, if that is even possible. The angry scar against his temple still marks his skin, put there by yours truly and her sweet little Kitty, the night I ran. I still remember running after he fell to the ground, thinking I’d killed him.

Wishing.

His black hair is longer than I remember, curling over his forehead. The same pale blue eyes stare back at me, like looking into a version of myself that I despise.

Looking at the way hate glows in them, for me, his own sister, makes my heart ache. Because deep down, I still yearn for the family that abandoned me. Still wonder why I was never good enough to earn their protection and love. My brothers, who should have been my family, but turned out to be my fucking nightmare.

“Now are you going to shut the fuck up so we can have a little chat, or does Ethan need to break some teeth first?”

The fight dies out of me and Ethan slides his hand from my mouth, moving to stand beside Isaac. He looks at me as if I’m the most disgusting thing he’s ever seen.